The Person and Presence of the Spirit

Introduction

I remember a time getting into an elevator with a very large man only to find out he was a linebacker for the Eagles that I hadn’t recognized in his street clothes. He was on his way to a store promotion to sign autographs. I missed my opportunity in his presence because I didn’t recognize the person.

I wonder how many of us are missing opportunities all the time by not recognizing the Person of the Holy Spirit and not taking advantage of his Presence in our lives.

How do I know this?

Because I see people whose lives are not at peace even though Jesus told his disciples (us) that he was leaving his peace through the sending the Holy Spirit.

Because I counsel people who hide deep sin in their lives sometimes thinking what they do is only personal, hidden in secret.

Because I meet those who claim to follow Jesus with very little love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Because I encourage people who say they are all alone and can find no real purpose for their lives.

Because I see churchgoers who are trying to keep in step with the Jones’ instead of the Spirit, who attend churches who do the best THEY can do and very rarely see what GOD can do.

And I wonder, could we be missing an opportunity? Are forgetting about the Person and neglecting His Presence.

The Scene

John 14:1–6 (ESV)

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 16:6–7 (ESV)

6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, . . .

“It is to your advantage” = better, good, helpful, benefit, profitable

How many of us think it would be easier to follow Jesus if we could actually follow Jesus?

And yet, Jesus said it is better for him to go!

What could be better than having Jesus as part of your friend group / as a favorite contact?

How many times would you text Jesus for some advice? For some encouragement? How much more holy might you be if you had Jesus hanging with you 24/7?

And yet, Jesus says he is planning something even better than this!

Better for your marriage

for your decisions

for handling your emotions

for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Jesus goes from us so we can go with the Spirit

Jesus Gives us the Person and the Presence of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16–18 (ESV)

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

“dwells” = abides

ILLUST - I’m now an orphan - many of you understand. Our parents hold a special place in our lives. They (should) care for us, give us direction, know us the best, watch and help us to grow, teach us, discipline us.

I know we’re all big boys and girls in this room, but don’t we still need many of the same things.

The disciples had come to depend on Jesus - for teaching, food, direction, purpose, and Jesus promised He would not leave them all alone.

Jesus promises “another Helper”

John 14:23–27 (ESV)

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

High Church = the Father

Evangelical Protestant Church = Jesus

Charismatic Church = Holy Spirit

We often gravitate toward one of the persons of the Trinity based on the role they carry out.

I can picture Jesus (long flowing hair) but what is the Holy Spirit like?

Why does it matter?

The Holy Spirit is where the Trinity becomes personal.

God the Father may seem distant and transcendent.

Jesus may seem removed from us by history.

According to Scripture, the Holy Spirit is currently active in the lives of believers.

The Person of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit is not new.

Genesis 1:2 (ESV)

2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

He is a Person not a force

R.A. Torrey

“It is of the highest importance from the standpoint of experience that we know the Holy Spirit as a person. Thousands and tens of thousands of men and women can testify to the blessing that has come into their own lives as they have come to know the Holy Spirit, not merely as a gracious influence, but as a real person, just as real as Jesus Christ Himself, an ever-present, loving friend and mighty helper, who is not only always by their side but dwells in their heart every day and every hour, and who is ready to undertake for them in every emergency of life. “

-R. A. Torrey, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit., p.10

Notice when Jesus speaks about the Holy Spirit, he refers to the Spirit as “He.”

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all

While the term, “Holy Spirit,” is itself neuter and should require neuter pronouns, Jesus recognized the Spirit as a Person and used masculine pronouns.

He has his own thoughts and even prayers for believers:

Romans 8:27 (ESV)

27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

He has emotions

Ephesians 4:30 (ESV)

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

He has his own desires and wills

1 Corinthians 12:11 (ESV)

11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

He does the actions of a person

1 Cor 2:10 - searches

Revelation 2:7 - speaks

Revelation 2:7 (ESV)

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

Romans 8:26 - groans

He is God and not less

The Holy Spirit is equated with God

Acts 5:3-4 - Lying to Holy Spirit is lying to God

He is eternal - Hebrews 9:14

Hebrews 9:14 (ESV)

14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

He is holy - Romans 1:4

He is all-knowing - 1 Cor 2:10

1 Corinthians 2:10 (ESV)

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

All-powerful - Zech 4:6

Present everywhere - Ps 139:7-8

“We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.”

— Athanasian Creed 6th C

Why is this important?

Because Jesus’ promise isn’t second string.

It’s not as though the disciples got something better than we have.

Because as we talk about the presence of the Holy Spirit it is vital we understand the person of the Holy Spirit.

Remind - ILLUST - I remember a time getting into an elevator with a very large man only to find out he was a linebacker for the Eagles that I hadn’t recognized in his street clothes. He was on his way to a store promotion to sign autographs. I missed my opportunity in his presence because I didn’t recognize the person.

The Presence of the Spirit

John 14:16–18 (ESV)

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Jesus told us it is our advantage to have the presence of the Holy Spirit with us than to have the physical presence of Jesus. Why?

Because the Father and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit:

God dwells in your every space

What spaces are you in right now that could surely use the presence of God?

What situations seem just beyond your capability to handle?

You’re in a marriage that could really use thee presence of influence of God.

Maybe you keep finding yourself in that dark place of sin. You need the presence of God to shine His light and bring you freedom.

Maybe you just truly feel alone? Orphaned even. Unloved, unnoticed, not cared for.

David recognized that God’s Spirit is everywhere:

Psalm 139:7–10 (ESV)

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

While the Spirit (as God) has always been omnipresent, now in the the New Covenant, the presence of the Spirit is not only around us but IN us and this verse becomes all the more real to us.

Some may question: If I have the presence of the Spirit, why am I going through this suffering? Why all this pain? SIN - yours, others, the world’s.

Jesus promised we would have trouble AND he promised the Spirit would be with us as we walk through the trouble.

ILLUST - when you go through a difficult time, is it generally better to go through it with someone you love with you or alone? What is comforting when you face going through something that is difficult? having someone with you.

ILLUST - I remember some very dark moments as a young adult where I felt alone, rejected - I might even call it Sheol. I remember not even being able to or wanting to form words for my thoughts. It’s then I would read this about the Holy Spirit’s presence with me:

Romans 8:26–28 (ESV)

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Talk about a prayer partner!

You take God to your every place

People in the OT would need to go to the Temple if they wanted to experience the presence of God. Now because of what Jesus has done, the presence of God dwells with his people (until the day when all the people of God will dwell in the presence of God in the new heaven and new earth).

1 Corinthians 6:19 (ESV)

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

Not only individually but as a church:

1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV)

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

This means every place God’s people are, there God’s presence is as well!

The place where you work.

Your marriage has the presence of God.

ILLUST - the new phenomenon of our teens being on phone or FaceTime 24/7 with friends or significant others.

John 16:12–14 (ESV)

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Not to skip too far ahead, in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit comes to the believers at Pentecost in Jerusalem.

Acts 8:1 (ESV)

1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Through events of difficulty God sent the presence of the Holy Spirit out, and those empowered by the Holy Spirit witnessed about Jesus. Those filled with the Spirit, scattered by difficulty into new (and unwanted) spaces, took the presence of the Spirit to those places.

Acts 8:4 (ESV)

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

I fear modern church has become similar to an OT temple concept instead of a NT sent and Spirit-filled believer concept. They gathered and they also scattered - both with the Spirit, and both for the purpose of the gospel!

The places God has placed you are so you might You take God to your every place.

Have you thought that the places you’ve been sent (maybe unwillingly) might be so God might have his presence there?

ILLUST - I wrestled with WHY God had placed me at Masano’s for a year - during that time I counseled, shared the gospel with a dying woman in the hospital, proclaimed the gospel at her funeral, lived like Jesus while working honestly even though others around me did not.

For that season God scattered me from the church with His Spirit for the glory of Jesus. I wish I could say I always recognized it at the time - I didn’t.

Why has God placed you in the spaces you find yourself this week?

How will you recognize the Person of the Spirit and display his presence in that space?

You only do so when you recognize the Person and the Presence of the Holy Spirit who walks with you!

Don’t miss the opportunities!